2/13/2007 @ 3:00PM

In Pictures: The World's Most Remarkable Heists

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Boston

March 18, 1990

$462.7 million

No arrests

It’s a basic tenet of museum security: never let in strangers after hours. On March 18, 1990, security guards at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum paid the price for ignoring the rule. At 1 a.m., security let in two Boston police officers, so they could check out an alleged disturbance in the building. The men quickly overpowered the security officers, tied them up with duct tape and pillaged the museum. They made off with 13 pieces worth about $300 million at the time, including classics by Rembrandt, Degas and Manet. The FBI has been offering a $5 million reward since, but none of the works have been recovered.